A few days had passed since the planning session. Enemy raids had kept Torin and his team busy, but they knew they had to hold back. If they showed their full power the enemy might grow wary and reallocate the raiding parties to security.
The enemy's construction proceeded at a steady pace, finding the assaults on it were always stoppable. It was frequently damaged, but never destroyed entirely.
Torin stood on a tall building towards the edge of the city, looking over the outskirts at the giant archway being constructed.
"Just a while longer, but still..." Torin sighed "we're only delaying the inevitable. We're gonna have to fight Crisis eventually, and none of us have the strength to beat him. Heck, even that patchwork man soundly defeated both me and Ichigo..."
Torin sensed something behind him and spun, narrowly avoiding the sword of a man wearing green clothes, a striped hat, and clogs.
There was no room to draw his sword, so Torin grabbed the man's wrist and pulled him off balance as he threw a punch. The man's neck snapped, and the body got knocked over the edge.
"Oh boy, you ARE as good as they say" the man said lightheartedly from behind Torin.
Torin gasped slightly and spun, the man was crouched on the railing on the edge of the building, decidedly unharmed.
Torin's hand reached for his sword, buy was cut off as the man appeared beside him and grabbed his wrist. Torin's eyes widened in shock "when did he move?" He thought, he hadn't seen a thing.
"Relax, I'm a friend, I just wanted to test you, Torin Izanki" the man said "I am Kisuke Urahara"
Torin scowled "attacking a man who doesn't know you're there is hardly a fair test" he said as he yanked his hand out of Urahara's grip
Urahara opened up a fan and began fanning himself vigorously "but you passed with flying colors!" He said cheerily
"So is that all you wanted? To test me?" Torin asked, his aggression diffused by the man's strange mood swings.
Urahara snapped the fan closed "almost, I came to train you"
Torin blinked "huh?" he replied dumbly
"You said it yourself, none of the captains can beat Crisis, not without letting the Soul Society crumble" Urahara said
"And you think you can train me to be that strong in the time we have?" Torin asked incredulously
Urahara nodded, then held up his hand "five days, that is all the time that will pass, by that point, you'll be strong enough to beat Crisis"
Torin scoffed "you're joking, five days? I heard you were a genius, but you're obviously insane too"
Urahara shook his head "come, I will show you how I intend to accomplish this, Aurora and Rida are already there"
"And if I dismiss you as a madman and leave?" Torin asked, instantly Urahara's sword was at his throat
"You don't want to do that" Urahara said dangerously
Torin gulped "I... ah... See your point, you're a persuasive man"
"All will be made clear, once you understand my plan, you will be free to leave." Urahara said
Torin backed away "alright then" he said sheepishly
"Good! Let's go then!" Urahara said cheerily, and together he and Torin left